On the afternoon of Nov. 8, I was in fixed prosthodontics class with an almost-debilitating anxious feeling. This was not exactly unfamiliar in this setting, but this time, I had just gotten a call from my doctor saying my hCG levels were through the roof, and we all know what that means. I was pregnant!
From vintage class notes to the most recent scientific studies, the ADA Library & Archives is a fount of knowledge for both dental students and seasoned professionals. Although most people may think of a library as a physical place (and there is a physical library in the ADA building in Chicago), the Library & Archives has a wide selection of online collections, including about 10,000 journals and hundreds of textbooks, all available to any ADA member.
My four years of dental school flew by. When I was trying to survive dental school, it seemed long and arduous — unending. However, when I stood on the stage to receive my doctoral hooding earlier this year, I couldn’t believe how fast those years came and went. It seemed like just yesterday I started my dental school journey and looking back on it now as a prosthodontics resident, I realize there are a few things I learned throughout the process.
For the past 70 years, the Guide Dog Foundation has trained guide dogs for people who are visually impaired. The foundation partners with college students around the country who volunteer their time, raising these dogs until they are a year and a half old, teaching them basic obedience and commands, before they return to the foundation headquarters in New York for further training.
Maintaining the health of your back and neck muscles are vital for a long and successful practice. Building good habits as a dental student is important in creating a good foundation for the years of practice to come. To help keep a healthy posture, I enjoy doing yoga after a long day in clinic.
Empathy is defined as “the psychological identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts or attitudes of another.” For dentists, empathizing with patients is not only good practice.
Contrary to what most dental students believe, you’ll need malpractice insurance before you even graduate dental school. Why? Because every dental student has to take board exams. And if you plan to do an externship, you’ll also need coverage for that risk, too.
